The Best Social Themes Kids' Books 2024

1. Carry Along Book & Cassette Favorites: Little Gorilla (Paperback)

As beloved Little Gorilla grows up, he discovers that love grows with him. Perfect for bedtime or snuggle-time, this warm and timeless classic reassures readers that as they grow and change, they are always loved. Just about everybody in the great green forest loves Little Gorilla. His mother loves him. His father loves him. Even Big Boa Constrictor loves him. But Little Gorilla begins to grow . . . and Grow . . . and GROW. And then, when Little Gorilla isn't so little anymore--everyone still loves him! A soothing, rhythmic text and expressive illustration create a heartwarming story about the security and constancy of love.

Carry Along Book & Cassette Favorites: Little Gorilla (Paperback)

2. Do You Want to Be My Friend (Board Book)

A classic friendship story from the beloved Eric Carle, creator of The Very Hungry Caterpillar. This board book edition is the perfect fit for little hands. This is a simple and nearly wordless picture book for children to explore in a variety of ways. Shared with little ones, the bright pictures showing a small gray mouse's search for the perfect pal help introduce colors, animals, and sounds. Many preschoolers will also be drawn to the idea of looking for a friend. Fans of The Secret Birthday Message and The Mixed-Up Chameleon will delight in this ingenious picture book by the brilliant Eric Carle. Other favorite classic books from Eric Carle include The Very Hungry Caterpillar, The Grouchy Ladybug, From Head to Toe, and many others.

Do you want to be my friend? asks the lonely little mouse ISBN13: 9780694007097 Publisher: HarperFestival Publication Year: 1995 Format: Board Book Pages: 15

3. St. Patrick's Day in the Morning (Paperback)

Jamie seeks a way to prove that he is not too young to march in the big St. Patrick's Day parade.

St. Patrick's Day in the Morning (Paperback)

4. The Fear Place (Paperback)

For Doug's brother, Gordie, the ridge with its spectacular view is a magical, special place, but for Doug, it's The Fear Place. Two years ago, Doug hiked to the ridge during his family's annual camping trip, and he vowed never again to cross the narrow ledge from which the earth dropped away six hundred feet to the canyon below. But now the boys' parents have been called from their vacation by a family emergency, and Doug and Gordie are alone in the wilderness. After one of their seemingly endless fights, Gordie has stomped away from their campsite. When Girdle doesn't return, Doug fears the worst, particularly when he hears reports that a cougar has been sighted nearby. Doug knows he has to go after his brother, and he knows where he will find him. What he can't imagine is the surprising source of the courage to overcome his fears.

For Doug's brother, Gordie, the ridge with its spectacular view is a magical, special place, but for Doug, it's The Fear Place. Two years ago, Doug hiked to the ridge during his family's annual camping trip, and he vowed never again to cross the narrow ledge from which the earth dropped away six hundred feet to the canyon below. But now the boys' parents have been called from their vacation by a family emergency, and Doug and Gordie are alone in the wilderness. After one of their seemingly endless fights, Gordie has stomped away from their campsite. When Girdle doesn't return, Doug fears the worst, particularly when he hears reports that a cougar has been sighted nearby. Doug knows he has to go after his brother, and he knows where he will find him. What he can't imagine is the surprising source of the courage to overcome his fears.

5. A Dog Called Kitty (Hardcover) by Bill Wallace

9780823403769. Pre-owned: Good condition. Hard cover. Language: English. Pages: 160. Sewn binding. Cloth over boards. 160 p. Intended for a juvenile audience. A poignant story about the trust that grows between a farm boy and a stray pup.

The puppy was small and fuzzy, with a friendly, wagging tail — and Ricky was afraid of him!No wonder, since he was attacked by a dog when he was just a baby. So when a stray puppy comes sniffling around the farm, Ricky tells it to get lost.But the puppy keeps trying to play with Ricky. And every time Ricky's Mom feeds the cats, the little dog comes running. The cats aren't sharing their food, however, and the poor pup is slowly starving.If Ricky doesn't overcome his fear, the little puppy may die — but if he lets himself get close enough to feed it, he may find the best friend he's ever had!Winner of the Texas Bluebonnet, the Oklahoma Sequoyah and the Nebraska Golden Sower Awards.

6. A Night Without Stars (Paperback) 9780689808326

ISBN: 9780689808326 ISBN10: 0689808321 Contributors: Howe, James, Morrill, Leslie H.,

Maria Tirone is frightened. She's in the hospital, about to undergo open heart surgery. And no one -- not her friends, not her family, not even her doctors -- can tell her what to expect. Then she meets Donald, badly disfigured in a fire years before. The other kids in the hospital call him Monster Man, and tell Maria to stay away from him. But Maria sees the human being hidden behind Donald's scars and his bitterness, and finds in him what she needs most of all -- answers to her questions, and a friend.

7. Harry and the Terrible Whatzit (Paperback)

When his mother goes to the cellar and doesn't return right away, Harry shoves aside his fears to search for her and confronts the terrible two-headed whatzit.

Harry and the Terrible Whatzit (Paperback)

8. The Well : David's Story 9780803718036

ISBN: 9780803718036 ISBN10: 0803718039 Contributors: Taylor, Mildred D.,

In Mississippi in the early 1900s ten-year-old David Logan's family generously shares their well water with both white and black neighbors in an atmosphere of potential racial violence.

9. Oscar's Spots (Hardcover) by Janet Robertson

9780816731336. New condition. Hard cover. Language: English. Pages: 32. Sewn binding. Cloth over boards. 32 p. Intended for a juvenile audience. After visiting a magician, a young leopard who had been unhappy with his appearance learns to like the way he looks.

9780816731336. New condition. Hard cover. Language: English. Pages: 32. Sewn binding. Cloth over boards. 32 p. Intended for a juvenile audience. After visiting a magician, a young leopard who had been unhappy with his appearance learns to like the way he looks.

10. Beyond the Ridge (Paperback)

Beyond the Ridge shows "Goble at his best" (SLJ) in this beautiful, comforting, and simple book to help children of all ages process and grieve the loss of a loved one. Paul Goble's stunning picture book brings a piece of Plains Indian tradition to life in a way that is certain to comfort children who have experienced loss and the heartbreak it brings. Following the spirt journey of an elder woman after she's passed, Beyond the Ridge will help young readers understand the journey of life through the eyes of a daughter who hears the call of her mother.

Beyond the Ridge shows “Goble at his best” (SLJ) in this beautiful, comforting, and simple book to help children of all ages process and grieve the loss of a loved one. Paul Goble’s stunning picture book brings a piece of Plains Indian tradition to life in a way that is certain to comfort children who have experienced loss and the heartbreak it brings. Following the spirt journey of an elder woman after she’s passed, Beyond the Ridge will help young readers understand the journey of life through the eyes of a daughter who hears the call of her mother.